Big Bowl
Design your own meal at this popular, casual Pan-Asian restaurant.
(773) 790-4797
60 E Ohio St
(at Rush Street)
Chicago,
IL
60611
41.8926
-87.6262
Neighborhoods: Near North Side, Central
Reviews & Ratings for Big Bowl
29 reviews
What users are saying:
Showing 1-10 of 29 reviews
I like that hot noodle
by BigJim56
January 20, 2009
I ate here the other day. I got this noodle with peanuts and chicken. It was spicy! I loved it. I also ordered their homemade ginger ale. That was good stuff. I recommend it. The service was a little slow but it was worth it.
- Pros: good food
- Cons: slow service
Should Experience by Faith S. at InsiderPages
Contributor
November 20, 2008
Very Busy. Great food, huge servings. Kind of expensive for asian style food, but it is Chicago. It's very nice inside, and the staff is kind. I would say you have to experience Big Bowl at least once!
awesome by Stephanie F. at InsiderPages
Contributor
October 15, 2008
the big bowl has amazing asian food. when you have your first visit there they give you a special surprise treat. the beef and brocoli is really good and so is the fried rice. they have many spicy items as well if you are up for it! it is a great atmosphere and there is another location in schaumburg
Great place for a fun, casual meal
by emerana
June 05, 2008
Granted, I wouldn't call it Asian food...it's American food with Asian inspiration. But we were looking for a place we could go with the kids, where we wouldn't get glared at if they cried or threw their silverware on the floor, but still have a grown up evening out. Big Bowl fit the bill perfectly. We were seated promptly, it was right before 8pm on a Tuesday night. It was busy, but I felt comfortable because there was room between the tables. They had highchairs and seemed very welcoming of our children. We ordered the dumplings. They were ok, nothing too exciting. Then my husband got a curry dish, I got Kung Pow Noodles, one child got the BBQ Pork Cow Fun and the other teh Chicken Pad Thai. I have to say they were all good (got to taste them all) but the BBQ Pork Chow Fun was the winner. Only one issue, they all seemed more oily then I care for, but not so much that it really bothered me. The Pad Thai was very flavorful. Wait staff was nice, food came quickly (but not too quickly). Parking was easy above. The portions were huge, even the kids meals. For toddlers or smaller children, you could just get one and split it. And everything tasted fresh and didn't have that weird flavor some Asian take out gets. So overall we were quite happy.
- Pros: easy parking, service, child-friendly, tastey food, comfortable, good selection
- Cons: a bit oily when I went
Pretty good (but order chicken well done!)
by psnchckn
May 11, 2008
Went here with my girlfriend after a day of shopping and browsing the library. Service was pretty good, no complaints there. My girlfriend had some sort of spicy basil chicken dish, which was quite tasty, very fresh, etc.
Problems arose with my Panang Curry Chicken; after a couple of bites, I noticed that the majority of the chicken was just barely cooked through, and a few pieces were seared on the outside, and just about raw on the inside.
I sent it back immediately, and the server and the manager greatly apologetic. I always feel like a jack when I send dishes back, but I wasn't about to eat possibly-raw chicken swimming in curry sauce. They took the dish off the bill, offered me a new one, and a free dessert. Though, I declined both, I thought they handled it well.
Otherwise, the food was worth checking out, and despite the raw chicken fiasco, we'd go again -- but I'll order tofu or vegetables...or well-done chicken next time!
- Pros: Tasty food, good service, quick service...possibly too quick, because...
- Cons: Chicken, on this one occasion, was either near raw, or barely cooked through
Great Thai Food by Cyndi L. at InsiderPages
Contributor
April 28, 2008
While visiting Chicago recently, my friends and family stumbled upon the Big Bowl restaurant. What a treat! The food was excellent, the lighting was warm and subdued and
the waitresses were on top of their game! Our food came
out promptly ( thank goodness, we we're famished) and
the atmosphere was just what we needed after coming inside to avoid the rain! We will definitely dine there again!
Good choice when out shopping by Elizabeth C. at InsiderPages
Contributor
February 03, 2008
We recently stopped here after a day of shopping and were pleasantly surprised. Service was good and the food was better than we expected. We had an appetizer and 2 entrees with plenty of leftovers for lunch the next day. I don't know that it would be a destination spot but it's a good pick for a good dinner when out shopping in the area.
Fun, place with really good Chinese food!
by james1970
November 30, 2007
Ended up at Big Bowl with a party from work. The place was busy, so we had a few at the bar. Nice atmosphere with a very friendly staff. No rush attitude. After a short while, we were led to our table.
We ended up ordering a number of appetizers for the group. Waitress was very accomodating to us. Our appetizers ranged from chicken satay to lettuce wraps to something akin to a Chinese dumpling. All was excellent!! After about three rounds of appetizers we were definitely full.
I would definitely recommend this place if you are looking for somewhere after work, or if you are looking for a place to unwind with a fun group of friends.
Food was very fresh, had a little bit of spice(I like it hot, but not overly hot), and the atmosphere of the place in general was a lot of fun.
Get a seat at teh Big Bowl and prepare for a good time.
Icky Utensils
by xb4darkx
December 28, 2006
Not a great experience. At first glance, Big Bowl seemed like a really nice, intimate-casual dining place with redish oriental decor that will caught your eye. When you sit down, they will make an effort to offer you some sort of gingerale. Service took longer than usual. They seemed to be short on staff that day. The first thing I notice was how dirty the plates appeared, as if there were lots of soap residue. I check my friend's plate and it was the same. Then I look at the utensils and cups and felt disgusted. I ordered a customized stir-fry dish: spicy panang curry on beef and chow-fun noodle. I get to pick my own vegetables which sounded awesome until I stumble upon a clump of dirt hidden in the bok choy. Yuck! My friend ordered barbeque pork bow. It looks exactly like Wow Bow's down the street down to the wrapping paper. It must have been one the frozen one they bought from Wow Bow. Soup wasn't good, stir-fry dish was uninteresting. Overall, the experience wasn't great! I am still thinking about the nasty dishes and the yucky clump of dirt up to this day.... It deserve a "B" rating!
- Pros: Ehhh...go maybe once in a blue moon
- Cons: Dirty dishes and utensils
Only a few things on the menu worth eating by D. L. at InsiderPages
Contributor
November 06, 2005
I have ordered from this restaurant many many times, from different locations, but mostly the same few things because the other menu items I've tried were not good, and I never ordered them again. I must say, the food does seem fresh. The Pad Thai and calamari and green tea have been excellent, and I have ordered them over and over again, including on my birthday once. But everything else I have tried has been not good at all, including the pot stickers. In fact, most recently I ordered the Pad Thai and calamari carry out--after a break of a few years--and did not even enjoy that and decided I probably won't go back.
PROS: Pad Thai, calamari, green tea
CONS: The remaining menu items
